Glenn Hall Denied Injury Wildcard

Glenn Hall at the Billabong Rio Pro before he broke his back in Fiji. Photo: ASP

Glenn ‘Micro’ Hall Denied Injury Wildcard

The WCT wildcard situation has always been a tough call. At one time they were called “Injury Wildcards” but has now been shortened to just “Wildcards.” Regardless, the wildcard (there are two) is always given to a surfer who suffered and injury and was unable to compete. Semantics aside, Glenn Hall should have got it over Tiago Pires.

To me it’s a no brainer: “Micro” got injured surfing in a WCT event, the Volcom Fiji Pro, and Tiago injured his knee while freesurfing at home in Portugal. After their respective injures, both surfers were unable to compete for the majority of the WCT season. Glenn’s injury (a broken back and severe lacerations) was quite serious and he had to flown out of Fiji to get immediate medical attention and is still in the throes of rehab. It seems to me that if you get hurt in a WCT event—you should get the wildcard. There’s no gray area, you get inured at work—they should take care of you. That said, Glenn will have opportunities to surf on the WCT next year as he’s the first “replacement” surfer, meaning he’ll get a chance to surf whenever someone on the WCT is injured and can’t make it.

*Owen Wright, who injured his back during the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, was given the other wildcard. Below you’ll find the complete list of those who qualified for the 2014 World Championship Tour…minus one deserving guy.

ASP Top 34 Finalized for 2014 ASP World Championship Tour Season

LOS ANGELES, California/USA (Sunday, December 15, 2013) – With the completion of the Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii yesterday and the crowning of Mick Fanning (AUS), 32, as the 2013 ASP World Champion, this season’s ASP World Championship Tour (WCT) has drawn to a dramatic close.

In a year that witnessed the world’s best surfers compete at Snapper Rocks, Bells Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Tavarua, Keramas, Teahupo’o, Trestles, Hossegor, Peniche and the Banzai Pipeline, 2013 not only hosted an incredible battle between Fanning and 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 41, for the world surfing crown, but also a fierce fight in terms of qualification and requalification for next year’s elite tour.

The 2014 ASP Top 34, the most elite surfers on the planet, will be comprised of the Top 22 finishers on the 2013 ASP WCT rankings, the Top 10 finishers on the ASP Qualification Series (QS) rankings (barring surfers who have already qualified through the Top 22 on the ASP WCT rankings) and two ASP wildcards.

The ASP Wildcards for the 2014 ASP WCT have been allocated to Owen Wright (AUS), 23, and Tiago Pires (PRT), 33. Due to the large number of deserving surfers requesting wildcards for the 2014 season, the ASP Commissioner’s Office has allocated the first replacement spot for next season to Glenn Hall (IRL), 32, who sustained a significant back injury last June in Fiji.

The first stop on the 2014 ASP World Championship Tour will be the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast from March 1 – 12, 2014. For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com